Parfuri Camp

Pafuri Camp is situated between the Limpopo and the Luvuvhu Rivers in the far northern sector of the Kruger National Park, in a 60,000 acre private area known as the Makuleke concession. This area is the ancestral home of the Makuleke people, and is one of the most ecologically diverse and scenically attractive areas in the Kruger National Park. It is also one of only a few true wilderness areas left in the Park. Although this concession comprises only 1% of the total area of the Greater Kruger National Park, 75% of all Kruger's species occur at Pafuri: nearly 400 birds species and over 100 mammal species make up some of the more visible aspects of this incredible biodiversity.

Activities at Pafuri are varied and interesting. Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, night drives, walks, and hides are all part of the Pafuri experience. The area is famous for the large herds of elephant and buffalo that are resident most of the year round, concentrating around the permanent waters of the Luvuvhu River in the dry winter months. On the easternmost boundary at "Crooks Corner" the Luvuvhu supports a large population of hippo and crocodile. Giant baobab trees, and eery fever tree forests contribute to the beauty of the concession. One of the most important aspects of this area is its palaeo-anthropological history, with its plethora of evidence of early human ancestors stretching back some 2 million years ago, through the Stone Age and into the Iron Age about 400 years ago when the Thulamela dynasty ruled in this area.

The camp consists of twenty elegantly decorated tented rooms. Each is raised on a polished wooden platform and joined to the common area by wooden walkways. The private tents are fronted by screened walls offering a tenuous connection between sublime comfort and luxury and the harsh unpredictability of the wilderness beyond. Indoor and outdoor showers propel the theme, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior space.

 The common areas at Pafuri are vast and capacious, with several secluded sitting areas, an open-sided dining room, a multileveled deck complete with fireplace, a boma for a traditional dining experience, and two plunge pools. The influence of the Makuleke community is pervasive with the vibrant colors, textiles and unique stone walls reflecting local heritage and history.

Pafuri Camp is the perfect complement to a 'Big Five' safari lodge further south in the Sabi Sand or Timbavati sectors of the Kruger Park. The concession's exceptional scenic beauty, biodiversity, and sense of wilderness surpass anything else in the Kruger ecosystem. The camp itself is luxurious and stylish enough to compare favorably with any of the deluxe lodges in the south. The community involvement and archaeological aspect further contribute to a well rounded South African safari experience.

Conservation Dimension

The most recent human inhabitants of the area were the Makuleke people who were forcibly removed from the region by South Africa's former Apartheid government in 1969. In a landmark restitution in 1997 the Pafuri area was returned to the Makuleke who, in a farsighted decision, opted to keep the land within the National Park and to manage it accordingly. They partnered with the leading safari operator in southern Africa to establish a camp that would be a model of sensitive and authentic ecotourism to the region.

The benefits of Pafuri Camp come to the Makuleke in the form of direct cash, training, skills transfers, jobs, and community development projects. The Makuleke Communal Property Association (CPA) is a Trust that has been set up to benefit all of the Makuleke people who live in the Makuleke villages outside of the Kruger National Park. The Trust represents all the Makuleke people who lived in the area prior to 1969 and ensures that benefits flow to the community as a whole.